Surely this now means that we can expect less whining about unfair, empire-building bureaucrats out to stick it to the free market system, right? The CBC, and everyone else, is reporting that Sun TV News has been granted a category two license from the CRTC—this has been expected ever since Sun TV News dropped its dropped its welfare application.
In its statement, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission reiterated “the importance of maintaining and enhancing the plurality of editorial voices in local and national markets and ensuring that Canadians are exposed to an appropriate plurality of those voices.”
“The licensing of additional competitive mainstream national news services is one means of achieving this objective,” the CRTC statement added.
Just think: this network has been immensely entertaining before it’s even started broadcasting. We can hardly wait to see what they actually put on air. Our hot-tub panel idea is available for licensing, if Pierre-Karl Peladeau is curious.
• Sun TV gets green light from CRTC [CBC News]
• Sun News Receives CRTC’s approval for a broadcastin licence [Sun News]
It’s not the whole issue of freedom of speech that gets me, it’s the fact that they had to rewrite a law that prevents false news from showing up (Now, only false and malicious news is prevented). Fox News makes up news to validate their points, which prove dishonesty and a lack of integrity. If one can make up news to prove a point, then its practically saying its okay to lie to your kids so long as they don’t jump under a semi. The principle of the matter is that a lie should not be used to benefit your position. Sure, you can make your positions as long as you can back them up. Fox News refuses to do such on several issues, such as the whole Mass Effect controversy a few years ago and the current Bulletstorm controversy. By making up these facts that they fall upon, their entire position falls apart if anyone calls them out on them, provided they don’t simply just shove their fingers in their ears and start singing. Their views are more suited for being in a kindergarten rather than being broadcasted on National television.
February 23, 2011 at 3:18 pm | by CarmenBy the way, Susan, if Canadians want quality control in our news, that’s our business. If you’re perfectly fine with having the KKK control a station or having people slander others to benefit themselves (both in and outside politics), that’s your prerogative.
February 23, 2011 at 3:22 pm | by CarmenCBC reporting and programming have become increasingly constrained by political correctness to the point of nausea.
February 26, 2011 at 4:32 pm | by TonyLet’s hope that “Fox News North” will offer open, unafraid commentary on all Canadian news topics.
Fox News North will be like a breath of fresh air finally. I’m tired of the “soft news” we get from the CBC and even CTV News Channel. Have you noticed they haven’t even mentioned whats going on in Wisconsin. Its big news in the States, but we have to watch it on US stations like Fox News or CNN. I’m enjoying watching the union busting going on there. We sure need it here, where’s Mike Harris when we need him here in Ontario.
February 28, 2011 at 10:43 pm | by BobI for one have no problem with it, as long as the law remains that you cannot pass off false information as news. If it is true, then political slant aside, it is likely news.
March 2, 2011 at 12:09 pm | by PigMonkeyI am completely against the idea of Fox News coming to Canada so that Harper can have a propaganda machine guised as ‘news.’
It smells awfully fishy that CRTC had to change a regulation so that a ‘news’ program can lie on the air. I love Canada for being so relatively open with its news coverage. This little piece of American Pie makes me awfully uncomfortable – mostly cos Harper is gunnin for it. Didn’t harper meet with the Fox News CEO in NYC about bringing FOx to Canada a year or so ago? WTF??? Isn’t this a little too coincidental?
and bob, if you want to watch american news, then watch american news. if i want to find out about a strike in Scotland, guess what I’d do? I’d log on to the BBC news.
March 3, 2011 at 9:51 pm | by GreenThe political slant by Canadian media is already sympathetic to the left. We need a balance. As a taxpayer and productive citizen, I am tired of paying for entitlement and greedy public sector union demands. We know the consequences in the private sector. They just move to Mexico or China if they have demanding unions. Problem solved, but in the government they don’t have that option and the Liberals and NDP cave in. Totally unsustainable and kicking the can down the road. We need what is happening in the States, get rid of collective bargaining in Canada. Then and only then we are going to get our bills paid and balance the budget.
March 4, 2011 at 10:49 am | by BobGood news, maybe we should fund them same as the CBC. You lefties are finally dying off or retiring on your taxpayer funded pensions.
March 9, 2011 at 8:38 pm | by Keith WashingtonI thought every one was wrongly critical of the c.b.c. Since Jan. 1 i have watch the c.b.c. and it is nauseating and c.t.v. is not any better. Number one news source in canada is c.n.n. and sun news will be a change and we will watch or not. Choice is good.
March 13, 2011 at 6:00 pm | by todd moodyCheck out “Canadian Taxpayers Federation” what a good read. A better News channel in the States is Fox News, CNN comes in second. I totally agree CTV is leaning very left these days as well. Any chance they get to dis Harper they will jump right on it. CTF and Sun News are on Facebook as well. The CBC needs to be privatized, 1.1 billion and we have to still watch commercials, get rid of it.
March 14, 2011 at 10:18 pm | by BobHas anyone considered that every commercial media is right leaning, sometimes subtly, often blatantly! CBC and the odd community based source, etc. are the very very quiet left leaning exceptions
March 18, 2011 at 11:25 am | by GlenCBC is propaganda paid for by tax dollars. They double dip by getting paid $1B from the Fed Govt every year and income from advertisers. No other media outlet has this opportunity.
May 10, 2011 at 4:55 pm | by Margaret AsswoodIt is time to shut down the CBC, or at least cut the funding. If it can survive on it’s own in the real world, fine, otherwise, bye bye!